Marking means in an open field or country



y 1968 c. L. ROSSELOT MARKING MEANS IN AN OPEN FIELD 0R COUNTRY 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed July 14, 1966 T L 5 1. m 7km .IL ED C Wm M w 2 C Q d/ aw m w? 2 a I Q, v 2 0 4 m J 6 M) m 7 \Q .0. 0 E

INVENTOR Curran: L. Rosssun' QWW Aeeorpej July 9, 1968 c. ROSSELOT MARKING MEANS IN AN OPEN FIELD OR COUNTRY Filed July 14, 1966 2 t e e h S vmfi 2 Q I 3 3 Q m\ u-l.i l l. .11, v l I I II a In I I I l ll m K mm 3 4 p m on ww 3, I II, I 7 II-.1 W i .IIL Ms E a imw 9v vs I! United States Patent 3,391,828 MARKING MEANS IN AN OPEN FIELD 0R COUNTRY Clifford L. Rosselot, P.0. Box 183, Owensville, Ohio 45160 Filed July 14, 1966, Ser. No. 565,183 6 Claims. (Cl. 222-43) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A land strip conditioner or the like including power driven means for actuating the same and for operating a marking device at one or both sides of the conditioned strip in the direction of the length of the strip. Said marking device including power operated means operable from the power of the vehicle for intermittently effecting the operation of the marking mechanism.

This invention relates to improvements in marking means and particularly to Marking Means in an Open Field or Country in marking areas that were previously worked.

It is well-known, that, in fields and farming countries, the earth is treated with fertilizing materials, insecticides, and the like, and that the mechanism used in said fields are so designed and arranged that the treatment is for a particular and given width in being so fertilized, or the like, by a self-contained vehicle, such as a truck. It is also well known that the said field should not be overly treated, which could happen unless the previously treated strip were marked as to the longitudinal edge of treatment. Also, to have an untreated strip adjacent to or between treated strips would likewise be uneconomical since the said untreated strip would either not produce properly or would be infested with insects and the like that can readily extend into the previously treated strip and be above the insecticide treatment.

The principal object of the present invention is, therefore, broadly, to provide means for adequately marking the edge of the strip under treatment so that the adjacent treatment would be applied to the next strip without either overlapping on the first treated strip or providing an untreated strip adjacent the treated strip and therefore between treated strips.

Another object of this invention is the Provision of a marking means which will apply to the surface of the earth, at substantially uniformly spaced intervals, a recognizable mark to guide the treating machine operator and to provide this mark by materials that will in no wise interfere with the treatment of the earth at the point of the mark or in any wise interfere with the productivity of the earth at the said mark.

A further object of the present invention is the provision of means for accomplishing the foregoing objects which is relatively inexpensive to effect the results desired.

Other objects and advantages of the present invention should be readily apparent by reference to the following specification considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings forming a part thereof and it is to be understood that any modifications may be made in the exact structural details there shown and described, within the scope of the appended claims, without departing from or exceeding the spirit of the invention.

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a side elevational view of a self-propelled vehicle with which the mechanism of the present invention is employed.

FIG. 2 is a side elevational view, opposite to that of 3,391,828 Patented July 9, 1968 "ice FIG. 1, of the Vehicle of FIG. 1 with which the invention of the present invention is employed.

FIG. 3 is a rear elevational view of the self-propelled vehicle with which is employed the mechanism of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is an enlarged sectional view through a tank forming a detail of the present invention, as seen from line 44 on FIG. 3.

FIG. 5 is a vertical sectional view of the tank as seen from line 55 on FIG. 4.

FIG. 6 is a semidiagram-matical view of a portion of the mechanism as employed in marking the earth.

FIG. 7 is a diagrammatic view of the various mechanism included in the drive for operating the present invention.

Throughout the several views of the drawings similar reference characters are employed to denote the same or similar parts.

This invention is an improvement on or an addition to the present inventors prior structures, as disclosed in United States Patents 2,369,755 and 2,511,514. While, as just stated, the present invention represents an improvement on applicants prior patents it may be more proper to say that the present invention is employable with or supplementary to the mechanism disclosed in said patents.

Accordingly the present invention contemplates th utilization of a truck or tractor of the self-contained or self-opera=ble type of truck 10 which includes the usual gasoline, or diesel power, engine beneath the engine hood 11 for driving either the front wheels 12, or the back wheels 13, or both sets of wheels, and which driving mechanism is not illustrated in the drawings as it is believed to be Well understood. Associated with the truck 10 is the cab 14 housing the truck operator for, during the movement of the truck, feeding fuel from a tank 15, which may be mounted adjacent the truck cab, to said engine and for steering the same.

The engine beneath the hood 11 has a power take-off shaft 16 which, as seen in FIGS. 1 and 2, is connected through a coupling 17 to a shaft 18 which terminates in operating an air compressor 19, as particularly shown in FIG. 2. It should be noted that the air compressor 19 is well known and includes a piston operating in a cylinder for pushing air ahead of it into a compressed air tank, all as will presently be made clear.

The self-propelled vehicle 10 includes, as is well known, a chassis or supporting frame 20 to which the wheels 12 and 13, which may be either single or double, are connected through suitable axles, all as is well known and not shown in the drawings. Mounted on the chassis 20 is the truck body, indicated in general by the reference character 21, which as shown in FIG. 3, is trough-like in elevation and hollow to contain fertilizer, insecticide, or any ground earth conditioning material. As further seen in FIG. 3, the said truck body 21 has relatively short sides 22 and 23 extending vertically of the truck body inclined bottom Walls 24 and 25. The said walls 24 and 25 terminate in a discharge mechanism 26 which, in turn, is connected through distributor box 27 with distributor tubes 28 and 29. As shown in FIG. 7 the discharge 26 of the truck body is provided with a rotatable feed screw which controls and continuously pushes the material in the truck body to the discharge 26 and eventually to the tubes 28 and 29.

The foregoing relatively simple description of the distributing truck of the present invention is set out in full in the above enumerated patents and, as will be noted from said patents, said distributing tubes 28 and 29 are temporarily detachable from the truck so that it may pass through ordinary or average gate in the fence that nor- 3 mally surrounds farm fields. The reason for the demountable feed tubes 28 and 29 is that the said tubes have a combined length that is, a distance from the outer end of tube 28 to the outer end of tube 29, of twenty to forty (40) feet, the average distance being in the neighborhood of thirty feet.

Treatment of the earth or field beneath the tubes 28 and 29 is effected through a substantially continuous flow from a multiplicity of openings or jets, from each of which extends a jet stream 30 to the earth therebeneath.

The operation of the feed screw 31 is effected through a chain of motion transmission members or means, one form of which could include, as follows:

Assuming the rear wheels 13 of the truck to be the driven wheels and which wheels may include a pair of wheels at each end of the drive shaft in the axle housing 32. For purposes of description and referring particularly to FIG. 3, the rear Wheel 13A has adjacent thereto a bracket 33 which includes depending arms 34 and 35. The bracket 33 is secured to the truck chassis 20 to depend, as noted above, adjacent the driving surface of the drive wheel 13A. Carried by the bracket arms 34 and 35 is a shaft or axle 36 on which is mounted between the said bracket arms 34 and 35, a wheel 37, which conveniently takes the form of a rubber tired wheel similar to, but considerably smaller in diameter than, the drive wheel 13A. As seen in FIG. 1 the said driven wheel 37 is positioned to have firm peripheral contact with the periphery of the driving wheel adjacent thereto, and wherefore the driven wheel 37 has a peripheral travel equal to the peripheral travel of its driving wheel 13A even though the said driven wheel 37 may rotate at a higher rate of speed.

The shaft or axle 36 extends beyond, forwardly, the bracket arm 34 of the bracket 33 to have secured to its projecting end a belt pulley 38, and which belt pulley 38 is in alignment with a second belt pulley 39 on the outer end of a shaft 40. The pulleys 38 and 39 are connected with one another by a belt 41, and which belt and pulleys are of the well-known V construction.

The shaft 40 with the pulley 39 on one end thereof is conveniently journaled for rotation in the bracket arms 34 and 35 and said shaft 40 has at its other, inner, end a pulley 42 similar to the pulley 39. The pulley 42 is in line with a pulley 43 on a shaft 44 carried by and outwardly extending from a miter or bevel gear housing 45. The pulleys 42 and 43, similar to the pulleys 38 and 39 are of the well-known V type and are connected to one another by a V belt 46.

The miter or bevel gear housing 45 is carried by a bracket 47 which upstands from the chassis 20 and, as its name implies, the said housing 45 includes a pair of bevel or miter gears 48 and 49, see FIG. 7, with said bevel gear 48 being on the inner end of the shaft 44, supra. The bevel gear 49 is secured to the inner end of a shaft 50 which is journaled in the gear box 45 and outwardly projects therefrom with said shaft exteriorly of the gear box 45 having secured thereto a pulley 51, again of the V shape construction.

The pulley 51 is in alignment with a second pulley 52 on the shaft 53 which is integral with and outwardly projects from the feed screw 31. The pulleys 51 and 52 are connected with one another for motion transmission therebetween by a V belt 54.

Up to this point it will be noted that the feed screw 31 is driven in time relation to the speed of the vehicle or truck and that the earth or field treatment is being continuously supplied during the movement of the truck.

As was noted above this invention pertains to a marking mechanism to mark the end of the strip being treated so that the next strip will be treated adjacent to and laterally of the preceeding strip. This marking mechanism as will be presently described in detail, is operated in connection with and in relation to the rotation and drive of the feed screw 31.

The compressed air pump 19, previously referred to, is

4 mounted on a portion of the truck chassis 20 and, again as noted above, it is of a well-known variety for compressing air or pushing air from itself into a tube or pipe connection 55 that extends to a compressed air tank 56. The compressed air tank in turn has extending therefrom a pipe or conduit 57 which terminates in a valve 58 and from which valve 58 a pipe or conduit 59 extends to the lower end of a tank 60. The tank 60 contains dehydrated lime or it may contain some other type of marking material or powder to mark or effect the treated strip edge or mark the edge of the strip being treated.

The pipe or air conduit 55 between the air compressor or pump 19 and tank 56 has therein a one way check valve 61, which permits the compressed air to be placed under pressure in the tank 56 and prevents the reverse flow of the air. The tank 56 has therein compressed air under pressure up to pounds per square inch and in order to maintain the desired pressure in the tank 56 it is provided with a relief valve 62 which is adjustable and, as noted above, is set to have the air in the tank at a pressure no greater than the desired pressure, or, as noted above a compressed air pressure of 80 pounds per square inch.

Extending from the compressed air tank 56 is a pipe or conduit 63 which terminates in a normally closed shutoff valve 64, designated in the trade as a quick opening and closing shutoff valve. The valve 64, as is well known, is provided with a stem 65 at the outer end of which is a head 66. Extending from the other side of the shutoff valve 64 is a pipe or conduit 67 that terminates in a substantially circular chamber 68 at the bottom end of the tank 60.

As shown in FIGS. 4 and 5 the circular or semicircular chamber 68 is at the lower ends of inclined walls 69 forming, in effect, a funnel, at the lower end of the tank 60 to the said chamber 68. The ends of the said circular or semicircular chamber 68 is provided by collars 70 and 71. Extending through the collar 70 is a relatively short section of pipe or tubing 72 which, in effect, is the end of the pipe or conduit 66. Similarly, extending through the collar 71 is a pipe or tube 73 which is, in effect, the inner end of a pipe or conduit 74. The said pipe or conduit 74 may conveniently take the form of a hose and (see FIG. 3) extends to the extreme outer end of a boom, earth treating material tube 28 with a nozzle 75 constituting the end of the said pipe or conduit 74.

Referring again to FIG. 5, the inner end 76 of the pipe or tube 72 and the flared end 77 of the pipe or tube 73 are spaced from one another to provide a pocket 78 substantially centrally of the circular or semicircular chamber 68 of the tank lower end. In practice, the lime, or other marking powder, descends through the tank 60 to the inwardly inclining or extending Walls 69 to be funneled to and for filling the chamber or pocket 78 between the said pipes or tubes 72 and 73.

The said collars 70 and 71 have, respectively, extending therethrough set screws 79 and 80 which impinge on the pipes 72 and 73 to secure same in the proper position for the desired pocket or chamber 78.

In practice and referring now to FIGS. 3, 6 and 7, the feed screw 31, for feeding the fertilizer, insecticide, or the like, from the truck body is provided with a second pulley or sheave 81 in transverse alignment with a similar pulley or sheave 82 on one end of a shaft 83 suitably journaled in a bearing supported by an auxiliary support 84 of the truck chassis 20. The said pulleys 81 and 82 are of the V-shaped design and are connected by the usual V belt 85 and wherefore the shaft 83 is rotated from the shaft of the feed screw 31.

The shaft 83 has secured to its outer end a disc-like element 86 and which disc-like element has secured thereto or formed thereon a projection 87 which cooperates with the valve stem and its head 65-66 for rapidly opening the valve 60 and permitting its rapid closure. It is obvious, from the foregoing, that each rotation of the disc element 86 will through its projecting nose or cam 87 engage and open the valve 64.

From the foregoing it will be noted that the truck or other self-contained and self-propelled vehicle operates, in timed relation to the speed thereof, a means for feeding or supplying to the earth a treatment, for example, a fertilizer, disinfectant, and the like. Obviously, the rate of feed of these or any other elements from the truck body is in accordance with the desires and condition of the operator and soil.

The field or earth is being treated for a width equal to the length of the booms or feed tubes which, as noted above, is from 20 to 60 feet from end to end and assum ing the said feed tubes or booms being of equal length would place the operator in the center of the strip or from 15 to 30 feet from either edge of the strip. Obviously, if but a single boom or feed tube were used the distance of the operator from the strip edge would be the length of the said single boom or feed tube.

The materials being spread on the earth are not particularly discernible by the naked eye after spreading for a distance of 15 to 30 feet and while setting in the cab of the self-propelled vehicle. In order to advise or apprise an operator of the edge of the strip against which the next strip of field will be treated, it is desirable, if not necessary, to mark the edge of said treated strip by means that are discernible.

The marking, as noted above, can readily take the form of powdered dehydrated lime, which is white, and can be made of such concentration that it is readily visible, discernible, to the operator while in the truck cab for a distance of thirty (30) feet and even sixty (60) feet. As diagrammatically illustrated in FIG. 3, this mark or circle of white powder is indicated by the reference character 88. The proportion of the drive mechanism is such that not only the proper amount of fertilization, disinfecting compound or the like, is placed on the earth but that the marking spots 88, formable to a diameter of approximately one and one-half (1 /2) feet, are likewise automatically made and wherefore the said marking spots are not only visible from the operators position in the cab, but will also maintain a straight line up to which the second strip of earth treatment will be placed without overlapping the first strip to any appreciable extent, or, again, without providing an appreciable untreated portion between the strips.

Furthermore, the arrangement or timed rotation of the drive mechanism or chain is such, that a marking spot 88 is placed on the soil every so many feet, it being considered that 60 feet is a good distance between spots. In other words, approximately every 60 feet along the outer edge of the strip being treated there will be a marking spot 83 and which spots will be readily discernible by the operator and at the same time will be in a straight line or otherwise as determined by the vehicle operator.

While, in the drawings use is made of feed tubes for feeding and spreading materials on the earth, it is to be understood that any other form of means or mechanism for treating the earth may be employed, such as a distributing disc frequently employed at the rear of the truck at a discharge opening into the bottom of the truck. The heretofore well-known disc distributors for the treatment of the earth rotates in a plane parallel with the earth and evenly distributes the materials across a strip of practically the same width from one' end of the field to the other.

Obviously in using this type of earth treating mechanism there would be a necessity to use a boom of a length and in substantially the same position as either of the feeding tubes, supra.

In view'of the foregoing, it is believed that the objects initially set forth are accomplished.

I claim:

1. In a field marker of the class described the com bination of a power movable vehicle, means on said vehicle for treating a field stripwise in the direction of movement of a vehicle and for a considerable distance laterally of the vehicle, said treatment being in strips adjacent one another in the direction of vehicle movement and each strip being of a substantially equal width, a tank of marking powdered material on the vehicle, said powdered material having a color distinctive from the color of the field being marked and the treating material, and means operable by said vehicle in timed relation to its movement for periodically depositing a portion of said powdered material on the field along one edge of the treated earth strip, including a compressed air tank having compressed air therein, a conduit between said compressed air tank and marking powdered material tank, and a valve in said conduit to be momentarily opened to deposit a portion of the powdered material at intervals throughout the length of the strip being treated.

2. In a field marker of the class described as set forth in claim 1 characterized by, an air compressor on said vehicle for maintaining air pressure in the compressed air tank, and means for opening the valve and conduit between the compressed air tank and powdered material tank at regular intervals.

3. In a field marker of the class described as set forth in claim 1 characterized by, the means on said vehicle for treating the earth being operable continuously in proportion to the rate of travel of the vehicle, and said means on said vehicle for marking the edge of the treated strip being intermittently operated in accordance with the speed of operation of the vehicle and treatment of the earth, whereby said marks are at the same distance intervals irrespective of the rate of movement of the vehicle and the rate of treatment of the earth, said field strip mark being in the form of powdered material as a spot on the surface of the earth and at regular intervals and readily detected by the human eye, a tank for said powdered marking material with a pocket for segregating a suflicient amount of the powdered material to form the mark spot, and compressed air periodically applied to said segregated amount of material for depositing similar marking amounts of material at intervals along the strip being treated.

4. In a field marker of the class described as set forth in claim 1 characterized by, said momentarily opening of the valve for releasing the marking powdered material intervals being regular, and automatic means for actuating said momentarily opened valve.

5. In a field marker of the class described as set forth in claim 1 characterized by, the means on said vehicle for treating the earth being operable continuously in proportion to the rate of travel of the vehicle, and said means on said vehicle for marking the edge of the treated strip being intermittently operated in accordance with the speed of operation of the vehicle and treatment of the earth, whereby said marks are at the same distance intervals irrespective of the rate of movement of the vehicle and the rate of treatment of the earth, said field strip mark being in the form of powdered material as a spot on the surface of the earth and at regular intervals and readily detected by the human eye, a tank for said powdered marking material with a pocket for segregating a sufiicient amount of the powdered material to form the mark spot, compressed air periodically applied to said segregated amount of material for depositing similar marking amounts of material at intervals along the strip being treated, said momentarily opening of the valve for releasing the marking powdered material intervals being regular, and automatic means for actuating said momentarily opened valve.

6. In a field marker of the class described as set forth in claim 1 characterized by, means for opening said valve momentarily including said power movable vehicle including supporting and power rotated wheels, and means 7 8 operable by the surface of said wheels for effecting the FOREIGN PATENTS momentanly opemng of the valve. 867,765 2/ 1953 Germany.

References Cited 538,475 1/1956 y- UNITED STATES PATENTS 5 ROBERT B. REEVES, Primary Examiner. 3,114,481 12/1963 West 222--177 3,211,381 10/ 1965 Rasmussen 222-176 X HADD S. LANE, Assistant Examiner.

3,331,340 7/1967 Tschudy 222177 X 

